For the first time in a long time, Major League Baseball is brimming with the excitement, flair and zing that could finally put an end to the game’s ridiculous unwritten rules once and for all.
From animated bat flips from the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Tim Anderson to celebratory strikeout strutting by Marcus Stroman, this style of play isn’t going anywhere any time soon. In fact, it’s only the inception, and we should absolutely be thrilled about it.
The league’s “code of ethics,” which was conjured up by individuals who were long unreceptive to revising baseball’s monotonous tradition of values, is being flouted by young, exuberant and uber-talented ball players who will drive Major League Baseball for the next decade.
If the league allows them to do so, of course.
Unwritten rules of baseball hinder MLB’s popularity, inclusivity
Major League Baseball still ranks towards the bottom of the pecking order in terms of attracting younger, urban crowds, particularly those of color.
This comes as no surprise, considering that many current and former players are still emphatically opposed to baseball’s culture shift, an amendment which allows guys to unleash their passion, personality and competitive ferocity as they do in the NBA or NFL.
There have been way too many instances where pitchers have been far more concerned with a batter’s celebration of a home run as opposed to their own execution of the pitch that they just threw. In other words, the pitcher’s attention is more focused on his opponent’s reaction than his fastball that was just obliterated 460 ft into the air, landing in the upper deck.
The criticism that ballplayers of color receive by experts and players for showing emotion should be obsolete at this point. Instead, these players are characterized as classless and unsportsmanlike.
This concept not only perpetuates a much deeper issue that’s been rooted in the sport for decades, but it also sends the wrong message to aspiring ballplayers whose cultural interests and experiences are more aligned with a Tatis or an Anderson than, say, with a Madison Bumgarner.
It’s a message that ostracizes them for not conforming to the league’s anachronistic style of play, teaching them that they must adhere to the “American Way” of baseball. And if they don’t, they have to face the ramifications of harsh criticism as well a retaliatory pitch thrown directly at them, as was the case with Anderson’s teammate, rookie sensation Yermin Mercedes.
Modern MLB stars show unwritten rules of baseball are near an end
Luckily for the young boys and girls, however, these ballplayers don’t give a rip about how this predominantly white league perceives them. They’re going to bat flip, talk trash as they slowly trot around the bases, put an exclamation point on a big strikeout, or simply shout out to fire up their teammates.
And they’re going to have fun while doing it.
Players such as the aforementioned Anderson and Tatis both start at shortstop for their respective ball clubs, one of which leads the AL Central in the Chicago White Sox and the other who currently holds one of the best records in all of baseball in the San Diego Padres.
Let’s not forget about players like Ronald Acuna Jr., Juan Soto, Mookie Betts, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a number of others who are dominating the game playing their way.
Not only are these guys the cream of the crop, but their unapologetic swag is redefining the precedent for how the game should be played. And that’s with a lot of flair, confidence, fire and emotion.
Whether you like it or not, this is the new norm and the game’s unwritten rules are a thing of the past, finally.
So let’s take a moment to thank and commend these ballers for going against the grains in the face of scrutiny and criticism by those who remain out of touch with today’s era of baseball.
